Power socket with illuminated plug blade slots

• US 6,078,113 A
• Filed: 02/01/1999
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark E. True, Richard A. Witt
• Original Assignee: Mark E. True, Richard A. Witt
• Inventors: Witt, Richard A., True, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENRY, ANDRE A
• Application Number:
  US09/243,521
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 340/657, 340/656, 307/147, 307/149, 362/952, 362/231, 362/848, 349/63, 116/335, 174/53, 174/66, 174/55, 439/490, 439/491, 439/488, 220/241, 220/3.8
• US Class Current: 307/147
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/717 with built-in light source
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/22 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle

Abstract

A power socket with illuminated plug blade slots that includes an illumination mechanism for illuminating the interior area of each plug blade slot. The illumination mechanism has two color outputs for illuminating the neutral plug blade slot a first color and illuminating the hot plug blade slot a second color.

Claims

1. A power socket with illuminated plug blade slots comprising:

a power socket structure including;

a hot plug blade slot,

a neutral plug blade slot,

a ground plug blade slot,

a hot wire connecting terminal in electrical connection with a hot blade contact positioned within the hot plug blade slot,

a neutral wire connecting terminal in electrical connection with a neutral blade contact positioned within the neutral plug blade slot,

a ground wire connecting terminal in electrical connection with a ground blade contact positioned within the ground plug blade slot,

a first color diode passageway formed into the power socket structure into direct connection with the hot plug blade slot,

a second color diode passageway formed into the power socket structure into direct connection with the neutral plug blade slot,

a first color diode installed within the first color diode passageway and having two first color diode terminals,

a second color diode installed within the second color diode passageway and having two diode terminals, and

a diode drive circuit including a rectifier circuit in connection with the hot wire connecting terminal and the neutral wire connecting terminal and a voltage divider network having two resistance legs and having one resistance leg wired in parallel with the first color diode and the second color diode.

2. The power socket with illuminated plug blade slots of claim 1 wherein:

said first color diode emits red light.

3. The power socket with illuminated plug blade slots of claim 2 wherein:

said second color diode emits blue light.